Friday, April 19, 2013

Revisit, Remember and Never Forget- April 19, 1995

What an emotional question if you are an Oklahoman and if you have an memory at all of that tragic event. The first act of terrorism on American soil killing 168 of our own and then to find out that an American citizen, an American soldier who had defended our country, actually had committed this act. The acts that followed the bombing give me a great sense of pride and make me so proud to call Oklahoma home! Oklahomans from all over the state joined in on the rescue efforts, those who couldn't gave blood, sent supplies, and prayed!

So, where was I? In Weatherford, OK. I was in my first semester of my senior year at SWOSU. I had just finished up my eight o'clock class and had a conference with my Grammar professor, yes I had Grammar at one time in my life. The conference was over my senior thesis, Communication in Management. The meeting did not take that long, I'm not sure why. I was back in my dorm room by 9:30, those of us students lucky to have any reception or cable on our TV's were glued to our sets, the one's that didn't have TV's were glued to our sets. We were in awe. I don't know the stats, but probably a lot of students missed classes the remainder of the day as news filtered in. We were 70 miles west of the site. For those of us who didn't know someone in the Murrah Building, we knew someone, who knew someone, who knew someone.

It was a real awakening moment for a college senior, knowing that my life was getting ready to start and that such evil was out there. I still was very protected and naive. I remember driving back home to Wilson from Weatherford on the weekends through El Reno on I-40, knowing that was where Timothy McVeigh was, and seeing the sign "Warning Hitchhikers may be escaped Inmates".

I finally visited the Oklahoma City Memorial eight years ago. It is beautiful, it is peaceful- but it is a complete shame that we had to build such a place. I will never forget that tragic day 18 years ago today.A day that stands out in the minds of all Oklahomans and for me shows just how much this nation needs God!

Where were you?

Note: This is a repost from The 4-Crow's 4/19/2010 and again 4/19/2012, with only the years that have passed updated. I think it is important to REVISIT and REMEMBER and of course NEVER FORGET.